


We Will Meet Again (And Next Time, I Will Never Let You Go)

by nvmsl



Series: The Art of War (Nejiten) [4]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Assassins & Hitmen, Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Pirate, Alternate Universe - Slavery, Ancient China, Angst, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, Assassins & Hitmen, China, Dead Hyuuga Neji, Escape, F/M, Guards, Navy, Pirates, Post-Fourth Shinobi War, Princess - Freeform, Red String of Fate, Reincarnation, Shinobi, Spain, Tenten (Naruto)-centric, abolitionists, angsty shot, big rip, kinda sad, underground railroad
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-02
Updated: 2020-09-30
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:22:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23955283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nvmsl/pseuds/nvmsl
Summary: Could you imagine it? Having a single person connected to your soul by something so small and simple? It's quite extraordinary.They say that it connects two people who are destined to meet, regardless of the time, place, or circumstance. That it's supposed to be a single piece of something you would find in your grandmother’s sewing kit: a thin, crimson string.And yes, it doesn't seem too different from the ones your grandma uses—after all, it can tangle, and knot, and even stretch— but nevertheless, it is different.They say that overtime, its knots can untangle and the string can shorten and tighten, bringing closer people who are destined to be together. At times, it can lengthen and loosen as well, but in the end, it is always the same. The two people who are destined to be together will be brought together by this string. Even if it they are each in two different worlds, two different universes, two different times— it doesn't matter. It's the string that never breaks.They still speak of it today. Some legends call it the red string of fate; others, the thread of destiny.
Relationships: Hyuuga Neji/Tenten
Series: The Art of War (Nejiten) [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1593565
Comments: 5
Kudos: 23





	1. The Phoenix And His Dragon

**Author's Note:**

  * For [all my nejiten fan peeps in 2020](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=all+my+nejiten+fan+peeps+in+2020).



> The Bird and the Dragon- Era of the Fifth Hokage, Konohagakure, The Shinobi World

The first time they meet is in the shinobi world, as Neji and Tenten. It’s a bittersweet and well-known story, really, the one of the Byakugan Prodigy and the Dragon Kunoichi. 

They grow up together and fall in love together. It’s not a perfect match (each have their own flaws that keep each other from being fully together), but they are happy with what they have. Until they no longer have it anymore. 

It all starts with a lost, worried girl crying in a train station and ends with a battle-hardened Anbu kunoichi kneeling at the foot of a polished black grave. It is a story of duty and war, and the word “sacrifice” weaved into each of their souls. He sacrificed his life. 

She sacrificed her happiness. 

As the kuniochi places the purple hyacinths by the stone, she knows that her name will forever be remembered as the Dragon Kunoichi. Maybe the children of her friends will remember her as Auntie Tenten, but she is sure, as time passes, her steps will fade. She will always be the one without a family. She will always just be the survivor, the minor character, and she is fine with that. If it is fate for her to fade into the background, she will not resist. She will keep living and serving her village until she can finally join him. 

_“Promise me, that even if I am to die today, you will continue to fight live on.”_

_“Only if you promise to do the same for me.”_

After the war, rumors about her and the late Hyuga prodigy spread like wildfire around town. The villagers are sorrowful, but they keep their distance. _She is strong,_ they say. _She is Anbu, she is the Dragon. She does not need love._

They are right, but they are wrong. She is a warrior, a kunoichi, the famed weapons mistress of Konohagakure, and the invincible Anbu Dragon. 

But she is also Tenten, and like any other person, her heart bleeds red for a love not meant to be. 

The villagers just don’t realize how wrong they are, until they find her body wrapped about _his_ grave, unconscious and still bleeding profoundly from a sword wound in her stomach. She had returned from a mission and had gone to his grave first, instead of the hospital. But even when Lee tosses his weights and comes running to bring her to the hospital, it is still too late. She drifts off into an endless sleep, with the remainder of the Konoha 12 surrounding her, in her hospital room. And when she dies, it becomes 10. 

It is then that they decide that Tenten will be buried next to Neji, on Hyuga land, and Hinata hires the best gravestone maker in the Land of the Fire to carve the words “Hyuga Tenten” on the polished black stone. There are no comments when Naruto digs out an old picture of Neji and Tenten and hangs it on the Hyuga family wall, next to his and Hinata’s photo. There are no comments when Kakashi gives the dragon mask to Hinata and announces that there will be no more Anbu Dragons in the future. No one comments when they see Temari’s tears when she visits Tenten’s grave. No one says anything when the Kazekage’s sister mutters, “Stupid girl, you said you would beat me in a duel one day.” 

For several years, it becomes the story that the parents never tell their children— at least, not the full truth. The adults always spin the tale off into some happy oblivion, but nonetheless, the children always eventually find out. 

During the next Obon, the remaining shinobi of the Konoha 12 gather to celebrate the lives of their two fallen comrades, and they spend a large part of the day reminiscing the good old days. PIctures are dragged out and stories are told around the barbeque table. Food is laid before polished, black gravestones, and incense is burned for hours. Even Kankuro and Temari and Gaara visit Konoha and tell their stories about Neji and Tenten. 

It is late into night when Lee finally takes up his pen and writes all of the stories down. Kakashi is the first to read it, and he reads aloud for himself and Gai. Gai cries, as usual, but when Naruto drops by and sees Kakashi wiping at his eyes and sniffling, he knows that Lee has done well, and that his two comrades will not be forgotten. 

In the shinobi world, it becomes the greatest tragedy of all time. 


	2. The General And The Princess

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The General And The Princess- The Ming Dynasty, Beijing, China

The next time they meet is in a different universe— his name is no longer Neji, the Hyuga Prodigy, and hers is not Tenten, the Anbu Dragon. Instead, his name is Xianzhou, the name of a high ranking military officer of Emperor Chongzhen’s army, and her name is Princess Changping, the title of the second daughter to Emperor Chongzhen. 

It is supposed to be an arranged marriage, and Princess Changping is ready to hate her husband. She’s nowhere near ready to live the rest of her life as a housewife. She’d rather be outdoors doing sword dancing with her brother and, oh, she is not ready to give up playing Go with her little sister. But when she meets Xianzhou for the first time, she knows it will be different, and not in a bad way. 

Xianzhou carries himself like a military officer—back ramrod straight, jaw tense, and mouth pressed in a straight line. It all screams duty and service. It is only when the Emperor moves out of the room, that Princess Changping sees the other side of her husband-to-be. Almost immediately, his jaw loosens and his facial features don’t seem so tough anymore. His eyes look tired, but, from their brief moments of eye contact, still seem to sparkle in a pearlescent light. 

“My lady,” he sighs, eyes trying to look everywhere but at her. “I apologize for the situation. I know that you have a free spirit and that you would probably not want to marry anyone right now, but His Majesty is insistent that we go these lengths, with the uprisings that have been happening on our lands. I apologize again, I am not trying to criticize His Majesty, but simply just want you to know that I will do anything to ensure that you will be happy living as my wife—” 

She cuts him off with a soft laugh, and it catches his attention, and his eyes meet hers. And when their eyes meet, she swears her heart skips a beat, because she swears that she’s seen those eyes somewhere before and—

_ “Promise me, that even if I am to die today, you will live on.” _

Those words ring in her ears as she snaps back to reality, realizing that Xianzhou has stopped talking, staring at her with furrowed brows. The expression on his face is pure confusion, and she thinks that it must be the same for her face as well. There’s no denying it. They  _ had  _ to have met before. 

And so she asked, “Pardon me, but have we met elsewhere before?”

Xianzhou shakes his head. “No, I believe we have not… but I cannot help but feel as though we do know each other… but my apologies, my lady, I do not know.”

“Please, do not be so polite. Maybe it was in a different life, but all that matters is that we are here now.” And when the corners of Xianzhou’s mouth curl up in the hint of a smile, she knows that the two of them are meant for each other. 

The wedding is to take place within the next three months, but is quickly canceled as the peasant uprisings occur more and more in frequency, and closer and closer to Beijing. 

One day, the Emperor calls his family to the Throne Room. He is so angered by the riots that when one of his younger wives mentions it, he drives a ruby-hilted sword through her, killing her. And when her life passes, he turns to one of Changping’s younger sisters and repeats his actions again. He manages to strike Changping, too, dragging the blade through her left forearm and leaving an angry red line running through it before Changping’s elder brothers stop the crazed emperor. 

A few days later, the Emperor kills himself. 

The peasants strike Beijing, and Changping watches as her family is brutally murdered. The hollow feeling in her chest is strikingly familiar, and she thinks that this might not be the first time that she lost her family like this. 

_ Maybe it was in a different life,  _ she thinks. 

When she picks up a fallen soldier’s spear to defend herself, her body moves with its own mind, and she just  _ knows _ . In a different life, she  _ had _ been a warrior. 

She is among the few survivors of the Forbidden City when Xianzhou storms in with his troops, and they are reunited. 

They go down in history, but no one knows how the story ends. Through time, the words have been twisted and folded into many endings—some say she became a nun, some say Xianzhou rescued her and they escaped to somewhere far from the war. Maybe they abandoned their names and ran far away from Beijing. Maybe it was too late, and the second princess dies in Xianzhou’s arms, and he dies as the peasants strike him in his moment of grief. Maybe Xianzhou survives, but all of the memories of their past lives flood his mind, and he decides that he can’t live without her. 

_ It doesn’t matter _ , the princess had said.  _ We’ll meet again in another life. _


	3. The Spanish Officer And The Angel Of The Sea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Spanish Officer And The Angel Of The Sea- The Golden Age of Piracy, Havana, Cuba. The World of Edward Kenway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, before you even read the story, you guys are probably wondering like, who the hell is Edward Kenway, and what's with all the Spanish last name stuff. 
> 
> Basically, this is loosely based off of Assassin's Creed Black Flag, which tells the journey of Edward Kenway, who was a fictional British-privateer-turned-pirate-captain. He's became part of the Order of Assassins, who were known for the assassinations of many high ranking officials throughout history. (Yeah, it's a real thing, I know right?!)
> 
> In the story, Neji is Nicolas, a Spanish Admiral, and Tenten is the captain of the Crimson Queen fleet, which works closely with Kenway's fleet. The three are all assassins, and Kenway is a templer, which pretty much just means that he's kind of a religious leader of the Order. Neji and Tenten are trying to capture the Captain General of the Navy because he directly affects the pirates' missions because of his ability to direct the Spanish Navy. 
> 
> At the end of the story, there's a mention of the "familiar glint of metallic Mayan armor", which is a reference to Kenway's Mayan Armor that he found on one of his missions. It's metallic and bronze-like, and repels bullets. It doesn't look as cool as some of the other outfits, but it's pretty distinctive. You can go search it up. 
> 
> Lastly, Kenway spends a lot of time saving pirates from getting executed, and they end up joining his crew usually. So it's kind of a normal occurence for Kenway to just hop in and try to save pirates from the noose. 
> 
> I think that's enough background for now. Happy reading!

They meet again about half a century later, decades into the Golden Age of Piracy. His name is Admiral General Nicolas Hernández, second-in-command of the Spanish Navy. Her name is Tatiana del Cielo, the Angel of the Sea. 

The first time they meet in this lifetime is outside a tavern in Havana, Cuba. She is there for the treasure maps, and he is looking for pirates to arrest. 

Even though she is the captain of the Crimson Queen fleet, Tatiana keeps herself clean and carries herself with the grace of a wealthy lady. Even with daggers strapped to her thighs and a pistol tucked in her bosom, on the surface, she looked harmless, with her royal blue dress and painted nails. She could pass for royalty, if she added a hoop to her dress and let her steps glide a bit more. 

She’s finished her search and halfway down the street from the tavern when she bumps into Nicolas. Upon seeing his naval uniform and the silver pins on his chest, she tilts her head down like an aristocratic lady, making a small curtsy and apologizing in the softest voice she can muster.

The pirate in her demands her to pull the gun from her bosom and shoot. 

But the officer reaches for her hands and plants a soft kiss on it, catching her attention and she looks up to see—

_Those eyes, I’ve seen them before._

The pale blue, nearly white, eyes of the officer gives her a strange sense of nostalgia, and suddenly—

_We’ll meet again in another life._

It’s like they automatically _click_. 

“General Nicolas,” he says, holding out his right hand like a proper gentleman. He stares at her in awe and offers compliments that she receives with blushes and a small but warm and genuine smile. 

“Lady Tatiana,” she says, placing her hand in his, ignoring the fact that she is getting her hand kissed a Spanish officer. “A pleasure to meet you.” 

Tatiana is not shy, and Nicolas isn’t either. The next time they meet each other, they find themselves wrapped in each other's arms and skin on skin. It is only in the morning that Nicolas feels regret and worry seeping in. It would be a scandal for him, and he is ready to ask her to marry him because that would be the proper thing to do. But it doesn’t matter, because the space beside him is cold and empty, and Tatiana is already gone, and he has a new task. 

_Good morning, General,_ his superior speaks, handing him a rolled parchment. _I have heard that there has been trouble with pirates in the Havana area lately. Our sources speak of a female pirate captain that is called Captain del Cielo and the Angel of the Sea. Nice name, but I have heard that her crew is full of savages that have been wreaking havoc at taverns and recently sunk two Spanish frigates. Some say that she also works with Kenway’s fleet, which you may know of. She’s also been associated with what’s been called the Assassin’s Creed. I am sending you and the Lieutenant to take care of her._

It should have been simple. There are officers everywhere on the island, and at least _someone_ has to know where the infamous Angel of the Sea is. But somehow, word gets out about his investigation, and on a cool April night, he finds himself dragged out of his house when writing up a report and held at gunpoint by two burly pirates. 

_Make a single noise and we will send ye to yer grave,_ they say, as he is being tied up. 

_Where are you taking me?_

_To our Cappy, o’ course. She found ye before ye found ‘er,_ the shorter of the two pirates grins, showing three golden teeth. _Ye know, the Angel o’ the sea?_

And under the light of the full moon, the Army General of the Spanish Navy finds himself blindfolded and kneeling on the deck of a pirate vessel. The cloth is whipped away and he sees—

“Tatiana?” 

The woman before him flashes him a smile; this time, it’s cold and calculating, and so different from the smile when they first met, it sends a shiver down his spine. Gone is the blue dress, and in its place are knee-length boots, black breeches, a red sash and bandanna, and a black waistcoat with red stitching. He’s seen the outfit enough to know that it’s a pirate captain’s. A crimson cloak drifts behind her as a breeze goes by, and when she turns, he can make out the design of a black-winged skull. 

“We meet again, General. Allow me to re-introduce myself. My name is Tatiana del Cielo,” the woman says, chuckling at Nicolas’s surprise. “But you might know me at Captain del Cielo, Angel of the Sea.” 

There are some twists and turns, and the corruption of the Spanish monarchy is revealed. They hold him prisoner for a week, and sometime during the week, Nicolas finds himself disgusted with the truths and pledging to Edway Kenway’s cause. 

“You’ll have to give up your previous life and start from the bottom again,” Tatiana says, eyes glittering with a strange light. “The only people you can be loyal to are the ones on this ship and in Kenway’s fleet, and sometimes there are traitors as well. Are you willing to do that?” 

“I don’t have anything to lose,” he responds, thinking about his little empty house and his dead family members. “I want to fight against this corruption.” And so he puts away his crimson red officer uniform and dons a simple white cotton shirt and black breeches. The crew members are surprisingly friendly to him, and one even offers him a black waistcoat.

The story becomes blurred after that. After leaving Havana, their journey is a mystery for the most part. Of course, the news spreads— it’s a shock after all. No one expects a Naval General to suddenly join the pirates! It’s suddenly like Edward Kenway again, but this time, with Spain. 

And somewhere along the lines of fighting the Spanish monarchy, taking down Spanish ships, and joining the Assassins, Nicolas and Tatiana begin to walk closer together. Nicolas rises in the ranks quickly, due to his prior knowledge of the Spanish Navy and his being of a military strategist, and becomes vice-captain of Tatiana’s fleet, and even meets with the infamous Captain Kenway for several assassin contracts. Nicolas knows that Captain Kenway will change the world, even from their brief interactions. 

He only hopes that he will as well. 

He and Tatiana become one of the greatest assassin duos of the Golden Age Piracy. They easily blend in with crowds, Nicolas donning his crimson red officer outfit, and Tatiana gliding along the streets with her royal blue dress. 

From a distance, they could easily be mistaken as a married couple. 

It goes on like this for years, the two of them stuck with the words “friends” and “partners” between them, until a risky mission comes along, and they are captured while trying to capture the Captain-General of the Spanish Navy, who recognizes Nicolas, even after years. 

The execution date is set, and the two walk slowly but steadily to the platform, where a crowd has already gathered by. Nicolas walks with his head looking straight forward, but Tatiana walks with her head high. 

“Any last words?” The Captain-General asks mockingly, spitting on Nicolas’s face. 

Tatiana speaks up, her eyes hard and staring into the crowd. “Larga vida Edward Kenway.” 

_Long live Edward Kenway._

Her voice rings loud and clear. “Larga viva la Orden de Asesinos.” _Long live the Order of Assassins._

“Abajo con la monarquía—” _Down with the monarchy._

Her words are cut off as the Captain-General strikes her across the face and sends her sprawling to the ground, lower lip bleeding. 

“Stupid girl,” the General says, snarling as he delivers a kick to Tatiana’s chest to make sure she stays down. He turns to Nicolas, sneering at the younger man. “How about you, traitor.” 

“Kenway cambiará la monarquía, te guste o no,” Nicolas says, seeing the crowd’s fearful eyes look at him. “Crees que los piratas son peligrosos, pero nosotros somos los únicos que estamos luchando nuevamente contra la corrupción de la monarquía para ti.” 

His eyes lock with the Captain-General’s as he yells his next words. “¡Ave el Capitán Kenway! ¡Que podamos pasar otra vida luchando contra la corrupción!” 

The Captain-General launches himself forward to deliver a blow to Nicolas, but the younger man quickly ducks and lands a kick on the General’s chest, sending the older man flying down the side of the platform. 

“Hang them!” The General’s pained voice screeches. 

The two are led roughly to the middle of the platform, and the guards begin to fasten the noose around their necks. 

“Tatiana,” Nicolas says to the dark-haired woman next to him. “I wanted to say, I love y—” 

“I know,” the woman says. Dark eyes meeting his pale blue ones. “I—” 

Her words are cut off once again, as the ground falls away from their feet. The air goes out of Nicolas’s lungs, and after a few excruciating moments of breathlessness, the only thing he can think of when he sees the familiar glint of metallic Mayan armor is, _Kenway arrived too late this time._

Everything goes dark after that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I used Google Translate and some prior Spanish knowledge so hopefully these translations were right: 
> 
> Tatiana del Cielo: Tatiana of the Sky aka Captain del Cielo which means Captain of the Sky (because, Tenten pretty much means sky and she's called the Angel of the Sea because angels come from the sky, you know what I mean?) 
> 
> Larga vida Edward Kenway: Long live Edward Kenway. 
> 
> Larga viva la Orden de Asesinos: Long live the Order of Assassins. 
> 
> Kenway cambiará la monarquía, te guste o no: Kenway will change the monarchy, whether you like it or not. 
> 
> Crees que los piratas son peligrosos, pero nosotros somos los únicos que estamos luchando nuevamente contra la corrupción de la monarquía para ti:  
> You think pirates are dangerous, but we are the only ones who are fighting against the corruption of the monarchy for you.
> 
> ¡Ave el Capitán Kenway! ¡Que podamos pasar otra vida luchando contra la corrupción!: Hail Captain Kenway! May we spend another life fighting corruption!


	4. Of Slavery and Revenge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of Slavery and Revenge- The Period of Slavery, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

It takes another two lifetimes for them to meet again. 

Her name is Tejumola in this life, and she has skin the color of cocoa beans that her grandfather would pick during the summers. His name is Neville, with pale skin and sandy brown hair that is the same shade as his father’s prized Palomino back in New York. 

In this life, they are doomed from the start. 

After being captured and sold into slavery by a neighboring tribe, Tejumola is thrown onto a crowded ship and chained into the wooden planks of the lower deck’s floor. She's stripped of her status: no longer is she the respected daughter of her village’s chieftain, but instead, just another damned soul forced to leave for a land far from home. 

There, on the ship’s lower deck, she sits for over two weeks, bathing in her own filth and watching as others die around her. When the ship finally slows to a halt, nearly half of the people that she has spent the two weeks with are dead. Men, women, children, elderly. They died because of the color of their  _ skin _ .

And that’s when she comes to a conclusion:  _ the white man is a savage _ . 

She’s pulled roughly off the ship, still bound in metal chains. The following weeks are horrid; she’s cleaned, only to be poked and prodded at like an animal. When the blood comes dripping down her thighs, there’s nothing she can do to fight the cramps or stop the bleeding. The white people stare at her like she’s a prize— but not in a good way. They talk rudely and laugh loudly, and golden pieces are exchanged before she’s pulled away by another white man. The next day, she arrives at the plantation, and life becomes worse.

It’s months into the plantation life when she meets Neville. She’s scared of him, scared that he will poke her the way the buyers did, that he will whip her the way the other slave drivers do, that he will force himself on her the way the other men have. 

It takes months for him to gain her trust. He says that she could trust him, and that “One day, I’m going to expose this plantation for all its done, for treating you and the others like animals.” He says he was the son of a wealthy abolitionist up north, on a secret mission, in disguise as one of the white overseers on the plantation. He tells her about his family, his little sister Abigail, his best friend James, a black writer, and asks that she tell him about herself. 

“You’re a person, just like me. Your story is just as important as mine,” he says softly. His eyes hold a sense of sadness in them that she sometimes sees on her own when she catches her reflection on the shattered windows of the slave’s quarters. “In fact, your story is probably even more important than mine.” 

In return, she tells him in her broken English about her family. She talks about her father, the chieftain of her village. She talks about her grandfather’s cocoa trees and her mother’s love for making art in bracelets. She cries when talking about all the friends and family that she is sure she will never see again. 

Life is hard on the plantation, but he makes it a bit easier— not just for her, but for all of the other slaves on the plantation as well. He whips the ground near them and yells harsh words at her when other drivers come by, but he never hits them directly or means his words. He often tries to help out with picking cotton as well but only can do so in the northern fields, far from the other drivers. He gathers small groups of the slaves and lights candles in the night, using sticks to draw letters in the sand and teach them the fundamentals of the English language. 

It’s after nearly two years on the plantation that Neville approaches with good news. 

“Tell the others,” he whispers excitedly in her ear, on a cloudy summer day. “My friends have made a plan, and we can get you all out!”

When they meet in secret that night, Neville spills the news. “An underground railroad,” he says. “But not quite underground, and not exactly a railroad.” 

He draws the map into the dirt on the ground, explaining to the others about the houses that have been set up and the routes that they will travel. “We will leave at the end of this month,” he says, “and a couple of my old friends have houses that we can stay in. Some of them will help create distractions here so that we can all leave at once.” 

“All of us at once?” An older man asks from a corner. His eyebrows scrunch up in concern. “How will that work? There are hundreds of us.” 

“We’re not sure,” Neville replies reluctantly, “but we still have three weeks to make everything work out.” His eyes meet Tejumola’s as he speaks his next words. “It doesn’t matter, we’ll make sure no one is left behind.” 

_ It doesn’t matter, we’ll meet again in another life.  _

The words jump into Tejumola’s mind and she jerks so violently in her seat that the woman sitting next to her asks if she’s alright. She nods a quiet yes and hopes that it’s the right answer. 

When the time comes to run, the entire plantation is shrouded in darkness. Crickets and cicadas chirp loudly, but otherwise, it is quiet. 

Too quiet. 

Tejumola is, of the women, in the springtime of her youth and in the best shape. Therefore, she stays behind and helps Neville and his friends guide the other slaves through a hidden path next to the woods. It all seems to be going well, but disaster strikes when one of Neville's friends, a young man called Marco who's barely an adult, accidentally drops a lantern and sets an entire cotton field on fire. 

The plantation owners, roused by the commotion and the smell of smoke, stumble out of the house, each of the two men wielding polished wooden rifles. From the side of the porch, they begin to fire in the direction of the flames, toward where Tejumola, Neville, and his friends have stepped away from. A lucky shot catches Marco on the leg, and he falls, tripping forward into the dirt path as the others fall ahead. 

Tejumola, whose heart was kinder than all of the white men's combined, could not bring herself to leave Marco behind. And so she turned and flew down the path, wrapping Marco's left arm around her shoulder, and pulled him toward the rest of the group. 

But unknowingly, down by the corner of the burning cotton field, one of the plantation owners catches sight of a target, one whose skin is white and stands out under the silver shade of the moonlight. So he tucks his rifle to his shoulder and hefts the gun up with his hands; he pulls the metal back, lines up his weapon, and shoots his shot. 

Neville sees the shot happen. He's wearing his glasses that night, and he sees the cocking of the gun from higher up on the hill, and he jerks in fear when he hears the crack of the shot. His gaze shifts from the reloading shooter to his two friends a few steps behind the group. 

And  _ oh, _ relief surges through his veins when he looks toward Tejumola and Marco and sees that Marco continues to limp forward, seemingly unharmed. It looks like his weight is dragging Tejumola down, and Neville rushes forward to help. 

Neville doesn’t believe in luck, but for the first time in his life, he thinks that it might just be real, and so, he sent a quick prayer up to his Lord, thanking him for mercy. 

But when he's three feet away from Tejumola, he sees her eyes, which are opened widely, as if in shock. She coughs, spluttering up gurgled, incomprehensible words that leave a trail of blood dribbling down her chin. Glancing further down, he notices the stain of red that has begun to blossom from her left side of her brown shirt, and as he takes another step forward and grabs hold of her arm, she collapses, leaving Marco to stand on his own. 

Thankfully, his friends understand the situation and begin to help Marco limp up the hill. He, on the other hand, lowers himself to the ground and gathers the dark-skinned girl into his arms. He gazes at her, tears already running down his cheek as his mind mutters,  _ no no no no no no... _

She's still trying to speak, and so he leans down and puts his ear next to her mouth. 

It’s still hard to hear what Tejumola is saying, but Neville catches a couple of words here and there, and it’s enough to understand the message. 

“ _Thank you,_ ” the brown-eyed, kind-hearted girl whispers, using all of the words she can, eyelids fluttering shut momentarily before opening again. Another shuddering breath and her eyes close for the last time as she exhales her last words. “ _For everything.”_

He hugs her close, trying to memorize the sound of her voice, the melody of her laugh, the beauty of her face into his mind. His friends try to pull him away, but he won’t let go. 

And at that moment, none of Neville’s friends notice the plantation owner, who has finished reloading and hefted his rifle up again. They don’t see him straighten his aim, or adjust his stance; instead, they hear the startling crack of a bullet being fired, and the sound of Neville’s quiet, broken sobs stop. 

When they look again, there’s a clean, red hole in the middle of Neville’s forehead, and with one last look, the group turns and abandons the two bodies that lie next to each other. 

Maybe luck was real. Because from the looks of it, it was simply bad luck that they just had to be born as slaves to the universe and die on the brink of freedom. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BLACK LIVES MATTER.   
> I started outlining this story back in June, but I didn't get to actually write it.   
> For those of you in the United State, I am currently watching the presidential debate between Biden and Trump. I'm sixteen years old. I'm not old enough to vote, but dear God and gods, I WANT TO. And I URGE YOU, PLEASE... if you are of age, sign up to vote. PLEASE vote. Biden wasn't my first choice, but after everything that's happened... well, #SettleForBiden2020. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Multichapter, gonna be like oneshots each chapter, I just have to get my life sorted out. It's gonna be all of the different lives that Neji and Tenten live until they meet again and can finally be with each other without war and duty and sacrifice and all that (because reincarnation is a hella nice prompt to write about and I threw in some red thread of fate just because). 
> 
> Yes, I will be continuing the Anbu Way, I'm just trying to make sure my plot works and plus AP exams are coming up so I'm hella stressed. But don't worry, I WILL finish the Anbu Way, just probably not anytime soon.


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